When your kids get hurt, you always wish you could take their pain away and make it your own. One of the worst things you can witness is your child suffering.
But since it isn’t possible to pull your child’s pain away, you’ll have to manage it a different way. If your child suffered a personal injury, you could be able to make a compensation claim to help with whatever treatments they’ll need.
But what if it’s just an unfortunate accident? The kind all kids are at risk of?
Prevention is better than cure
The best way of dealing with your child suffering an accident is always to prevent it. This means doing all you can to ensure they’re as safe as possible in the different aspects of their lives. Keep sharp and heavy items locked away safely in the house and don’t let them into dangerous areas, like basements or attics. Keep an eye on them when they play outside too.
Make sure you have the right children’s car seats and only let them sit up front when they’re old enough and big enough for the seatbelt to fit properly. This is typically when they reach the age of eight or hit 4’9.
When they’re riding on their bikes or scooters, put their helmets and kneepads on. Purchasing really good quality skate helmets is the first thing you should be doing before having them biking, using a scooter or skateboard.
It’s also a good idea to let them play on soft ground so if they do fall, they won’t damage anything too badly. Some kids don’t handle the sight of blood too well so it’s best to minimise the risk of scratches and cuts.
Dealing with the aftermath
When your child does hurt themselves, don’t feel too bad. You’ve done everything you can to protect them, but accidents will always happen. Blaming yourself won’t get you anywhere and it will only distract you from helping your little one feel better.
Find out how bad it is and decide on your course of action from then. If they need to go to the emergency room, it could help to have something with you to distract them while you’re waiting to be checked out. Think about something they don’t have to do themselves, like a book you can read stories from.
If it’s not that serious, trying to make them laugh while you’re administering the first aid can help distract them and cheer them up. Whatever you, however you choose to help, the important thing is to do something. Let your child know that you’re there and that you’ll help them stop hurting.
Being there for teenagers
If your child is older, helping them through an injury can be an entirely different experience. Teenagers can be particularly difficult to get through to. If your child has suffered a sporting injury, they’ll no doubt be worried about how long it’ll take them to get back on the field. If they had a car accident, they could be feeling anxious about whether they’ll ever get behind the wheel again.
This may not be something you can reassure them over. Teenagers have their own ways of doing things. They may try to assert independence by withdrawing when they’ve been hurt. But you can still be there for them.
When it’s time for them to start rehab, volunteer to help them with it. When they can start exercising again, offer to go with them. And I’m not saying you should let them win but it could help their self-esteem and boost their positivity if they leave you in their dust.